lucinogen—is occasionally added to ayahuasca amongst 
the Jivaro and other Indians of the westernmost Amazon 
of Ecuador and Colombia (14, 22). 
Some of the additives reported are not known to have 
biodynamic constituents, and their use may, conse- 
quently, be attributed to symbolic reasons. ‘Two ama- 
ranthaceous plants of the Colombian Putumayo fall into 
this category: Alternanthera Lehmanii Hieron. (2, 9, 21) 
and a species of Iresine (21). 
Very recent research—perhaps the most extensive on 
the components of ayahuasca in one geographical area— 
have discovered a number of curious admixtures amongst 
the Kulina and Sharanahua of Amazonian Peru (19). 
In addition to Psychotria (discussed below), the list in- 
cludes several ferns: Lygodium venustum Sw. and Lo- 
mariopsis japurensis (Mart.) J.Sm.; as well as the loran- 
thaceous Phyrgilanthus eugenioides Kichler, the labiate 
Ocimum micranthum Willdenow, Epiphyllum sp. and 
Opuntia sp. of the Cactaceae, the cyperaceous Cyperus 
sp., a member of the guttiferous genus Clusia and two 
other plants of which the voucher specimens could not 
be determined. 
Perhaps the most significant discoveries relate to the 
use as additives of leaves of Banisteriopsis Rusbyana 
(Ndz.) Morton, the oco-yajé of the westernmost Ama- 
zon (2, 6, 14) and leaves of several species of Psychotria, 
especially of P. viridis and P. carthaginensis Jacquin in 
sundry widely separated areas of the Amazon (138, 14, 
16, 19, 20, 22). The use of the leaves of these plants is 
significant mainly from the chemical point of view. The 
drink called variously ayahuasca, caapi, natema, pinde 
or yajé, prepared from the bark of Banisteriopsis Caapi 
or B. inebrians, contains the §-carboline alkaloids har- 
mine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine (20). The leaves 
of Banisteriopsis Rusbyana contain N-N,dimethyltrypta- 
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